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Key Battles: The players to watch on Saturday

When the sides met in January, many predicted a no-contest.
However Birmingham left Emirates Stadium with a deserved point and
all looked rosy on the blue part of the Midlands. Since then,
however, Arsenal have notched five consecutive Premier League wins
while Alex McLeish's side have plummeted to within one spot of
the drop zone. With both sides desperate for points for different
reasons, Saturday's early fixture is likely to be a ding-dong
battle you won't want to miss. This season Arsenal.com will be
identifying the key battles for each Premier League game and
bringing you all the statistics and information a fan could need.
Swot up now and come Sunday you'll be impressing anyone
who'll listen with your new-found knowledge.

Rafael Schmitz v Emmanuel Adebayor
Rafael Schmitz, on loan from Lille, has quietly gone about his
business for the Blues this season, proving a useful utility man
across the back four. Boasting a wealth of Champions League and
top-flight French football experience, the Brazilian-born player is
a tidy customer at the back. His slightly diminutive frame does not
prevent him getting stuck in, but a sound reading of the game is
where his strength lies - making 23 clearances. Schmitz rarely
attempts a foray into the opponents' final third, with just two
successful dribbles, but has registered two assists when he does.
While Emmanuel Adebayor has the same number of assists, it's
goals that the Togo man specialises in - 19 this term. His
exuberance and incredible work-rate ensure that only the most
committed defenders can keep tabs on him for the entire 90
minutes.

Sebastian Larsson v Gael Clichy
Former Gunner Sebastian Larsson is one of many who
have swapped the red of Arsenal for the blue of Birmingham in
recent years. He has perhaps though been the most successful.
Playing virtually every match for the Blues this term, the
versatile midfielder offers a defensive edge and a danger on the
front foot. Tottenham Hotspur could testify for that - the Swede
rocketing a late winner at White Hart Lane earlier in the season.
He has also weighed in with 20 clearances and made 29 tackles.
Worringly for the rest of the Premier League, Gael Clichy continues
to grow and grow with every game he plays. Equaly adept on the
front foot as he is on the back, the Frenchman recently celebrated
a first involvement in his country's international fixtures.
Yet to score, he has though provided four assists and made 21
successful dribbles into the opposing half. Tough tackling, 39 made
and just nine lost, mixed with blistering pace, Clichy is a
'wing-back' in the truest sense of the word.

Olivier Kapo v Mathieu FlaminiFrenchman Olivier Kapo arrived in the Midlands in
the close season from Italian giants Juventus and immediately made
a name for himself with a rasping drive in the season's curtain
raiser at Stamford Bridge. Since then he has gone on to register a
further four goals but has not as yet got an assist. Blessed with
pace and a creativity those from Serie A often possess, he is often
given a free rein across midfield and up front. He has tested the
goalkeeper 19 times and shot off target on a further 11 occasions.
With such an unreliable position he often escapes the shackles of
the midfield anchor. Few who have come up against Mathieu Flamini
this season can say that. The 23-year-old has been simply awesome
for the Gunners this term making 26 tackles - most of which have
been won - and assuming the tag of 'midfield general'. Even
one of the most seasoned players in that position, Genarro Gattuso,
was outshone when the pair clashed in midweek. Adding goals, three
plus two assists, and an attacking threat recently, Flamini has
become a key member of Arsenal's side.

Please note: These statistics are from the 2007/08
Premier League season.

Copyright 2015 The Arsenal Football Club plc. Permission to use quotations from this article is granted subject to appropriate credit being given to www.arsenal.com as the source22 Feb 2008

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